icture. Sure it is not armour, is it?" Jones answered, "That is the
ghost." To which Partridge replied with a smile, "Persuade me to that,
sir, if you can. Though I can't say I ever actually saw a ghost in my
life, yet I am certain I should know one, if I saw him, better than
that comes to. No, no, sir, ghosts don't appear in such dresses as
that, neither." In this mistake, which caused much {66} laughter in
the neighbourhood of Partridge, he was suffered to continue, till the
scene between the ghost and Hamlet, when Partridge gave that credit to
Mr Garrick, which he had denied to Jones, and fell into so violent a
trembling, that his knees knocked against each other. Jones asked him
what was the matter, and whether he was afraid of the warrior upon the
stage? "O la! sir," said he, "I perceive now it is what you told me.
I am not afraid of anything; for I know it is but a play. And if it
was really a ghost, it could do one no harm at such a distance, and in
so much company; and yet if I was frightened, I am not the only
person." "Why, who," cries Jones, "dost thou take to be such a coward
here besides thyself?" "Nay, you may call me coward if you will, but
if that little man there upon the stage is not frightened, I never saw
any man frightened in my life. Ay, ay: go along with you: Ay, to be
sure! Who's fool then? Will you? Lud have mercy upon such
fool-hardiness!--Whatever happens, it is good enough for you.----Follow
you? I'd follow the devil as soon. Nay, perhaps it is the
devil----for they say he can put on what likeness he pleases.--Oh! here
he is again.----No farther! No, you have gone far enough already;
farther than I'd have gone for all the king's dominions." Jones
offered to speak, but Partridge cried, "Hush, hush! dear sir, don't you
hear him?" And during the whole speech of the ghost, he sat with his
eyes fixed partly on the ghost and partly on Hamlet, and with his mouth
open; the same passions which succeeded each other in Hamlet,
succeeding likewise in him.

When the scene was over Jones said, "Why, Partridge, {67} you exceed my
expectations. You enjoy the play more than I conceived possible."
"Nay, sir," answered Partridge, "if you are not afraid of the devil, I
can't help it, but to be sure, it is natural to be surprised at such
things, though I know there is nothing in them: not that it was the
ghost that surprised me, neither; for I should have known that to have
been only a man in